Tray conveying apparatus

Abstract

A conveyor includes a plurality of carriages with a longitudinally tilted tray having an end stop wall to support a load. Each tray is longitudinally divided into a pair of side-by-side tray members which are individuall pivotally mounted by bushings on a shaft. Similar bushings are provided on the shaft between the mounting bushings to provide a continuous circular closing surface immediately adjacent to the lower edges of the tray members. Each of the tray members, in particular, extends upwardly as a continuous surface having a first inclined portion merging with a second outwardly inclined portion. The outermost upper surface is provided with a stepped construction to provide a plurality of interlocking load portions each having a generally vertical wall merging with a generally horizontal wall.

I claim: 
     
       1. A support structure for a conveying apparatus, comprising a first tray member, a second tray member, a pivot support means secured to said members and defining a tilt axis for at least one of said tray members extended lengthwise of the tray members, means for holding the members in a transport position, each of said members including a laterally extending support surface extending outwardly and upwardly with a predetermined angular orientation with respect to said tilt axis to define a generally V-shaped load support assembly with said tray members in the transport position, and the upper and outer portion of said support surface including a stepped surface defining at least one generally vertical wall portion between vertically offset portions and extending longitudinally within the support structure. 
     
     
       2. In the support structure of claim 1, wherein each tray member is pivotally supported by said pivot support means, each of said members including a laterally extending support surface including a first portion extending outwardly and upwardly with a predetermined angular orientation with respect to said tilt axis and a second portion extending outwardly and upwardly from said first portion with a significantly lesser angular orientation with respect to the horizontal and terminating in a generally inclined horizontal plane, said stepped surface being formed in said generally inclined horizontal plane. 
     
     
       3. The support structure of claim 1, wherein said pivot support means including a continuous cylindrical member extended the length of the tray members and spanning the gap between the lower edges of the tray members. 
     
     
       4. The support structure of claim 2 wherein said pivot support means includes a pivot shaft extended the length of the tray members, pivot bearings secured to the lower end of each of said tray members and journaled on the shaft, cylindrical spacing members on said shaft establishing a continuous cylindrical support at the lower edges of the adjacent tray members. 
     
     
       5. A support structure for a conveying apparatus, comprising a first tray member, a second tray member, a pivot support means secured to said members and defining a tilt axis for at least one of said tray members extended lengthwise of the tray members, means for holding the members in a transport position, each of said members including a laterally extending support surface extending outwardly and upwardly with a predetermined angular orientation with respect to said tilt axis to define a generally V-shaped load support assembly with said tray members in the transport position, and the upper and outer portion of said support surface including a stepped surface extending longitudinally of the support structure, including a tray carriage having a pair of spaced sleeve bearings, said pivot support means including a top pivot shaft secured in said pair of spaced bearings, said top pivot bar being angularly oriented in a vertical plane with the one end located below the opposite end, said tray members including pivot bearings on said shaft, a plurality of cylindrical spacer members on the shaft to define a continuous cylindrical surface immediately adjacent the lower edges of said tray members. 
     
     
       6. The support structure of claim 5 wherein each tray member is a generally rectangular member pivotally supported by said pivot support means along a lower edge, each of said members including a first planar portion extending outwardly and upwardly with a predetermined angular orientation with respect to said tilt axis and a second portion extending outwardly and upwardly from said first portion with a significantly lesser angular orientation with respect to the horizontal, said stepped surface being formed in the outermost portion of the second portion, each tray member having a front wall including a vertical edge projecting upwardly from the pivot support means to a laterial inclined edge defining a V-shaped opening within the V-shaped load support. 
     
     
       7. The support structure of claim 1, having an end wall means integrally attached to each of said tray members, each of said wall means having an inclined upper wall portion defining a raised V-shaped opening beneath the upper plane of the laterally extending support surfaces. 
     
     
       8. The support structure of claim 1, wherein said means for holding the members in a transport position includes separate latch means for each member, said latch means including a latch member and lever on the support means and tray member and being coupled by a notch and pin type connection means to releasably hold the tray member in the transport position, and said latch member and lever being movable and including interfering members to positively release the corresponding tray member. 
     
     
       9. A support structure for a conveying apparatus, comprising a first tray member, a second tray member corresponding to said first tray member, a pivot support means secured to said members and defining a tilt axis for at least one of said tray members extended lengthwise of the tray members, means for holding the members in a transport position with the lower ends in spaced relation, and said pivot support means including a continuous cylindrical structure located adjacent the lower edges of the tray members to create an essentially continuous supporting transport surface. 
     
     
       10. The support structure of claim 9 wherein said pivot support means includes a pivot shaft extended the length of the tray members, a pair of pivot bearings for each of said tray members located on said shaft, a plurality of spacing members on said shaft to present a continuous cylindrical support at the lower edges of the adjacent tray members. 
     
     
       11. The support structure of claim 9 wherein said pivot support means include a U-shaped tray support carriage including forward and rear support arms with an upper sleeve bearing, a top pivot shaft secured in said sleeve bearing, said tray members including sleeve bearings on said shaft, a plurality of cylindrical spacer members on the shaft to define a continuous cylindrical surface immediately adjacent the lower edges of said tray members. 
     
     
       12. The support structure of claim 9 wherein each of said tray members includes an end wall means integrally attached to each of said tray members, each of said end wall means having an inclined upper wall portion defining a raised V-shaped opening beneath the upper plane of the laterally extending support surfaces. 
     
     
       13. A support structure for a conveying apparatus, comprising a first tray member, a second tray member, a pivot support means secured to said members and defining a tilt axis for at least one of said tray members extended lengthwise of the tray members, means for holding the members in a transport position, said pivot support means including a continuous cylindrical structure located adjacent the lower edges of the tray members to create an essentially supporting transport surface, a U-shaped carriage having forward and rear arms projecting upwardly from a base and wherein said means for holding the members in a transport position includes a separate latch means for each member, a releasably mounted common support bracket for said latch means including a pivot pin means, each of said latch means including a laterally extending latch member secured to the corresponding tray member and a latch lever secured to the pivot pin means, said latch member and layer being coupled by a notch and pin type connection means to releasably hold the tray member in the transport position, and said latch lever being movable to release the latch member and corresponding tray member. 
     
     
       14. The support structure of claim 13 wherein said latch members having a plate-like portion secured to the tray member and aligned with the latch member of the opposite tray member, a resilient means secured to each latch member engaging the opposite plate-like portion in response to the release of a tray member to mechanically jog the non-released tray member. 
     
     
       15. A support structure for a conveying apparatus, comprising a first tray member, a second tray member, a pivot support means secured to said members and defining a tilt axis for at least one of said tray members extended lengthwise of the tray members, means for holding the members in a transport position, said pivot support means including a continuous cylindrical structure located adjacent the lower edges of the tray members to create an essentially supporting transport surface, said means for holding the members in a transport position includes separate latch means for each member, said latch means including a latch member and lever on the support means and tray member and being coupled by a notch and pin type connection means to releasably hold the tray member in the transport position, and said latch member and lever being movable and including interfering members to positively release the corresponding tray member. 
     
     
       16. A tray unit for a conveying apparatus, comprising a tray element having a mounting side and a first planar support portion extending laterally therefrom and a second planar support portion projecting outwardly at an angle from said first planar support portion, the outer portion of the second support portion including a plurality of longitudinally extended and vertically offset steps to define offset load supporting surfaces joined by generally vertical wall portions. 
     
     
       17. The tray unit of claim 16 having a pivot support means secured to the mounting side of the element and located adjacent the edge of the mounting side on the first planar support portion. 
     
     
       18. The tray unit of claim 17 wherein said extended steps are parallel to the axis of the pivot support means and include walls parallel to each other. 
     
     
       19. The tray unit of claim 16, having an end wall means integrally attached to said tray element, said wall means having an edge extending from the mounting side to an inclined upper edge extending outwardly to the second portion, a pair of said elements producing a raised V-shaped opening beneath the upper plane of the laterally extending support surfaces.